Texas Ranger (Dying ranger)

Coll. by M.C. Parler
Mrs. Donia Cooper West Fork, Ark. August 4, 1959
Reel 287-288, Item 7
The Texas Ranger (The Dying Ranger)
As the golden sun was sinking, it fell with lightening rays Beneath the shadows of the forest where the wounded ranger lay, Beneath the shadows of the plateau, beneath the starry sky,
Far away from his home in Texas they laid him down to die
The rangers gathered round him, the comrades of the fight,
The tears rolled down each man's cheeks as he bade his last good­night.
One loved friend and companion was kneeling by his side;
To stop the life-blood flowing — alas! in vain he tried.
To stop the life-blood flowing, they found it all in veain;
The tears rolled down each man’d cheeks like light showers of rain.
Up spoke the dying ranger, saying "Weep no more for me;
I’m crossing a deep, dark river, in a country that is free.
Come gather close around me and listen to what I say.
I’ll tell to you a story as my spirit passes away.
"Far away in the northwest Texas, in that good old Lone Star State,
There’s one for my coming with a weary heart to wait!
I have a darling sister, she’s all my joy and pride ; I’ve loved her from my childhood, and I’ve loved noone else beside.
I’ve loved her as a brother, I’ve shield’ her with a brother's I’ve cried in many grief and sorrow her loving heart to cheer.
"When our country was invaded and called for volunteers,
She threw her arms around me and bursted into tears,
Saying, ’Go, my darling brother, go drive the Indians from our shore;
Our hearts will need your presence, but our country will need you more.’
"My mother she is sleeping beneath the churchyard sod,
Been a many a year passed over since her spirit fled to God,
My father he is sleeping beneath the deep blue sea,
I have no other kindred — there’s none but Nell and me.
"Come gather close around me and listen to my dying prayer.
Who’ll be to her a brother and shield her with a brother’s care?"
Up spoke a Texas ranger — they answered one and all —
"We’ll be to her a brother till the last one shall fall."
One gentle smile passed o’er the dying ranger’s head;
One quick and vulsion (sic) shadow, and the ranger boy was dead. Far away from his darling sister they laid him down to rest His saddle for a pillow and his rifle across his breast.

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Coll. by M.C. Parler
Mrs. Donia Cooper West Fork, Ark. August 4, 1959
Reel 287-288, Item 7
The Texas Ranger (The Dying Ranger)
As the golden sun was sinking, it fell with lightening rays Beneath the shadows of the forest where the wounded ranger lay, Beneath the shadows of the plateau, beneath the starry sky,
Far away from his home in Texas they laid him down to die
The rangers gathered round him, the comrades of the fight,
The tears rolled down each man's cheeks as he bade his last good­night.
One loved friend and companion was kneeling by his side;
To stop the life-blood flowing — alas! in vain he tried.
To stop the life-blood flowing, they found it all in veain;
The tears rolled down each man’d cheeks like light showers of rain.
Up spoke the dying ranger, saying "Weep no more for me;
I’m crossing a deep, dark river, in a country that is free.
Come gather close around me and listen to what I say.
I’ll tell to you a story as my spirit passes away.
"Far away in the northwest Texas, in that good old Lone Star State,
There’s one for my coming with a weary heart to wait!
I have a darling sister, she’s all my joy and pride ; I’ve loved her from my childhood, and I’ve loved noone else beside.
I’ve loved her as a brother, I’ve shield’ her with a brother's I’ve cried in many grief and sorrow her loving heart to cheer.
"When our country was invaded and called for volunteers,
She threw her arms around me and bursted into tears,
Saying, ’Go, my darling brother, go drive the Indians from our shore;
Our hearts will need your presence, but our country will need you more.’
"My mother she is sleeping beneath the churchyard sod,
Been a many a year passed over since her spirit fled to God,
My father he is sleeping beneath the deep blue sea,
I have no other kindred — there’s none but Nell and me.
"Come gather close around me and listen to my dying prayer.
Who’ll be to her a brother and shield her with a brother’s care?"
Up spoke a Texas ranger — they answered one and all —
"We’ll be to her a brother till the last one shall fall."
One gentle smile passed o’er the dying ranger’s head;
One quick and vulsion (sic) shadow, and the ranger boy was dead. Far away from his darling sister they laid him down to rest His saddle for a pillow and his rifle across his breast.